Taraduff's crochet and other stuff

All natural fibers!

2011-02-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

I have had several requests for the beard beanies in all natural fibers. I am adding a few to my shop here an there as I experiment with the softest all natural fiber yarns for the beards. If you keep checking my etsy shop, you should see them pop up here and there as I work on some new patterns.

I listed one today that is knitted from a fine deep red wool yarn with a beard crocheted in black with a super soft bamboo/silk blend yarn.

New website!

2011-02-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

Now there's a new place you can order your beard beanies too! We've opened a new site at beardbeanie.com! At that site, you can order the hats in the quantities you want! There is also a new blog for the new site that mainly features a photo gallery where you can share your photos of you in your beard beanies! It also has the new black and charcoal striped bearded beanie available for purchase!

Black and Gray Bearded Lumberjack hat ON SALE! for the rest of January!

2011-01-25T20:55:00.000-08:00

Hi all! The rest of 2010 proved to be quite a whirlwind for me! Thanks for all of the beard beanie love I received! It was incredible!

I have lots and lots of news to share!!! But I think I'll spread it out in a few posts, otherwise I would be writing a novel here in one post!

So, for now I want you all to know that the black and gray bearded lumberjack hat from my etsy shop is ON SALE! And will remain on sale for the remainder of January. $10 off the regular price, so $40 each. I have several in stock, so if you don't see the quantities you want, send me a convo through etsy, or an email to beardbeanie@gmail.com and we'll be sure to get you taken care of!

Stay tuned in the next week! I have new hats, new patterns, and some other big news to share as well!!!

Our trip to Moab!

2010-06-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my hubby wanted to take us all to Moab. Being born and raised in Utah, I guess it was kind of ironic and a bit sad that I'd never been there before. At the time, I was swamped with orders, but, I figured it's important to always make time for family, right? So I gathered up all my work and took it on the road.

When planning vacations, I generally go for the more tropical destinations, you know, nice beaches and such. I do have to say though, Moab has some truly breathtaking sights. We were just there over a short weekend, so there's much more than what we saw. We went through Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. I think the kids favorite part, however, was the sand dune.

Do you see us in the delicate arch picture? We are there, you just have to look close.

We happened to be there when it rained. When it rains, you have instant waterfalls all over! This is one that we stopped to see. If you look, you can see Mitch behind it!

I have two new hats that I am introducing to the shop that we took pictures of as well. One in hunter orange, for those hunters out there! And one I call the green river hat. The picture we liked best of it was at the green river viewpoint in Canyonlands.

And last but not least, we decided to take one more picture of the family. I call it a family of beard hats!!!

How I became a hooker! (Crocheter, that is!)

2010-05-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

So my etsy team, the Create Crochet Team, is doing a series of questions for us to discuss on our blogs for everyone out there to get to know us a bit better. This weeks question is -

When did you start crocheting? Did you teach yourself, or did someone teach you? Tell us the story of how you became a hooker.

My crocheting I credit solely to my stepgrandmother. My grandmother had died many years before I was born and my grandpa had since married a sweet lady named Neta. They lived next door. My grandpa died when I was very young and she was left alone in the little house. I was the youngest in a large family. I would often visit her. She liked to cook, sew, and crochet. All things which I like to do now too!

I vividly remember her watching Dallas and Dynasty when I visited her in the evening. She would crochet as she watched her old tube TV. She started teaching me when I was probably 5 or 6 yrs old, I'm not sure exactly. She taught me to make granny squares from her scrap yarn. Eventually I started making hotpads, then I moved onto bigger projects. I would crochet baby sweaters for my nieces and nephews as they were born and often did edgings on receiving blankets that my mom had hemstitched.

Several years after she passed away, my mom brought over a bag of yarn and granny squares that she had received. I took them all and put edgings on them and made them into a nice afghan. It brought back a lot of memories of a sweet lady that taught me so much. Hopefully I can pass it on to someone too!

medallion earring pattern

2010-04-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'd been toying with the idea of working up a pair of earrings for awhile. I don't make jewelry in the traditional sense. I've always been afraid that if I allowed myself to learn, I'd have beads everywhere! and I already have yarn everywhere!

Anyway, here is what I came up with. I was pretty happy with how they turned out!

I used a small amount of aunt lydia's cotton crochet thread in white and a size 9 (1.15 mm) hook. Gauge is not really important here. You want a fairly tight stitch and try to make sure your gauge is consistent.

Medallion Pattern: Ch 3. Sl st to beginning ch to form a ring. Row 1: Ch 3. Make 20 dc into ring. Sl st to beginning dc to join. Row 2: Ch 4. Skip one stitch and sl st in next stitch. * Ch 3, skip one stitch and sl st in next stitch. * Repeat the pattern between ** completely around the circle ending with a sl st in the stitch where you began this row. Row 3: In each ch space, work sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc. When you have completed this pattern in each ch space, sl st to beginning sc to join. Fasten off and weave in ends. Attach your earring hooks to your completed medallion by simple inserting them in the desired position. I used 'beadalon' ear wires I purchased at my local craft store.

perfect oatmeal raisin cookies

2010-04-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

So at my house, we are diehard oatmeal chocolate chip cookie fans. However, about once a year, I start craving oatmeal raisin cookies. But, it can't be any oatmeal raisin cookie, it has to be just the way I like them. I really hate raisins, so it's a bit strange that I like this oatmeal raisin cookie. All I can say is the secret for me lies in the treatment of the raisins. I hate biting into a cookie and 'finding' a raisin. The raisins have to blend in with the texture, and the flavor of the rest of the cookie. This cookie is soft and chewy with a bit of cinnamon to round out the flavors. And, the raisins blend with, not stand out from, the rest of the cookie.

Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
2 cups raisins
1/3 cup water
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla
Bring raisins and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover and turn off heat. Let this set until all or most of the water has been absorbed by the raisins. I would recommend letting this set for at least 1 hour to get the proper effect. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bown, cream butter and sugars together well. Add eggs and beat well (4-5 minutes), or until light and fluffy. Mix dry ingredients in another bowl and gradually add to the batter until thoroughly incorporated. Add the raisins and mix thoroughly (if there is much water left in the pan with the raisins, drain it first). Stir in vanilla. Form cookies into 1 1/2 - 2 inch balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes. Do not overbake these cookies. They will appear slightly underdone, but once they are thoroughly cooled, should be perfect. You may, however, have to adjust this cooking time for your oven and your bakeware. One more note, I use whole wheat pastry flour in these. It makes them a bit healthier, and you'd never know the difference!

headband /ear warmer patterns available

2010-04-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Due to several requests, I have added a line of heaband/earwarmers to my etsy shop. After playing around with different patterns and flower options, I came up with a few that I especially liked.

I have the patterns available now in my esty shop. The purple one is a bit wider than the other, and the flower styles on the two are different. The patterns are in pdf format to be emailed after purchase.

Most of the prototypes are also available for purchase in my esty shop. Even though it is warming up a bit, they are great for those cold mornings going out for a run, walk, or even getting a bit of yard work done! The headbands themselves are adjustable. They fasten with a button in the back, and two buttons are sewn on, so they fit most adult head sizes.

They are made from 100% cotton and are priced at $15 shipped.

Are you looking for the white rabbit?

2010-03-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

We recently had a 48 hr challenge on my etsy crochet team where we had to make something spring or easter related in 48 hours. We had just gone to see Alice in Wonderland, so I chose to make a new spin on the bearded hat as a white rabbit. Here you see the results. It is unique, don't you think?

And many kudos to my sweet sweet hubby for modeling for me!

Candy Kiss Hat

2010-03-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

We went on a family vacation to California for the last few weeks of February. It was so nice to be in the warmer weather and see green plants! I'm very much looking forward to spring!

I did manage to make this sweet little hat while we were there. It's my version of the candy kiss. I am currently working on sizing the pattern and will have it available in my shop when it's ready!

St Patricks Day Hat!

2010-02-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

I had been working on a St Patrick's Day leprechaun hat for sometime. With the influx of orders for the bearded beanies and lumberjack hats, it got put on hold for a few weeks. Well, I finally finished it! I wrote up the pattern for the hat alone, as Cole is wearing it. That pattern is available in my shop on etsy. However, before I listed the hat itself, I thought it needed a reddish brown beard, just to complete the look! I hope you like it!

newest style of the bearded beanie!

2010-02-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

The bearded beanies and lumberjack hats have become a fairly hot item in my etsy shop. I was having a hard time keeping up with demand! So, a few weeks ago, I invested in a knitting machine. I've been so busy, I hadn't had too much time to try it out. Finally I figured out a hat pattern that seems to work pretty well! I thought I'd share some pics of the new style and see what you all think! And the red one is up for sale in the heartsforhaiti shop and will help benefit the victims in Haiti.

bearded beanie for haiti

2010-01-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note today. I recently listed this hat in the etsy shop named Hearts for Haiti. All of the proceeds from this hat will go to Doctors without borders to help the people in Haiti. It would make a great Valentine gift for your sweetie! If you're looking for something else, I encourage you to browse through the Hearts for Haiti shop on etsy. There are lots of other wonderful items to choose from!

the flower bed birthday cake

2010-01-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

My sweet daughter turned 3 yrs old on Saturday! She LOVES flowers. So, for her birthday, this is the cake I came up with. The bottom (dirt) portion is just a chocolate layer cake with extra crumbs put on top and around. The flowers were made using Bakerella's cake pop recipe. You can check it out on her website www.bakerella.com. There are lots of insanely cute variations. This variation was what I came up with to make the flowers on the cake. I will give you a quick summary of how I made them.

First I made the center for the cake pops, which is just one cake mix (I used chocolate here) baked and crumbled into crumbs with one container of cream cheese frosting added and mixed in. I also added some mini m&m's to the mix. After it's thoroughly mixed, I shaped it into balls using an ice cream scoop, making sure that one side remained flat, so that I would have a place to adhere the fondant flowers to. So after I shaped the balls, I put them in the freezer long enough for them to get stiff enough to hold onto the sticks and hold their shape while being dipped.

Meanwhile, I had my two boys coloring 8 inch sucker sticks green with their nontoxic markers. I purchased one bag of green candy melts and a local craft store. I melted them in the microwave and when the balls were stiff enough, I took them out one at a time, inserted one of the newly colored sucker sticks and dipped it into the green melted candy melts and place it in a jar or vase for the candy melts to finish hardening up on the cake pops.

To make the flowers, I bought a small package of fondant that had 4 colors inside and a small set of flower fondant shape cutters. We rolled out the fondant and cut it into the various sized flowers and used a small amount of simple syrup to adhere them together and to the cake pops. I think water sticks them together just as well, I just had a bit of simple syrup leftover from the cake. So, to finish it off, We stuck the flowers into the cake and put a small amount of green frosting near the base of each flower. And it was finished! And my daughter loved it! Mission accomplished!

A few tips I would give to anyone who decides to make this. Wait until just before serving to insert the flowers. The sucker sticks may soften in the cake and start to bend. Or, you could use wooden skewers instead of the sucker sticks which probably would hold their shape for longer.

The children's bearded beanie

2010-01-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

Here's my newest take on the beard hat!

the beard hat

2009-12-27T14:08:00.000-08:00

Hi all! I do hope this Christmas season has treated you well! Once I finally finished all of the Christmas projects I had to get done, I started on a new item.......the beard hat. We took the prototype to the family party for one of the white elephant gifts, and it was a hit, so I thought I'd try a few more. I'm sure there will be more to come, but here are the first. My foxy hubby is the model. Thanks Mitch!

Chicken Stroganoff Recipe

2009-12-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

I made this a few nights ago, the first dish I had really cooked in a few days. (I wasn't feeling well) Anyway, the most exciting part is that my 2 yr old ate it! Yay!!!

Chicken Stroganoff
4 bacon strips, diced
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 8 oz pkg mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 c chicken broth
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream
hot cooked rice or noodles

In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve for later use. Add the chicken, onion, and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the broth, garlic, salt, paprika and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Combine the flour and sour cream until smooth; add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook and stir fir 2 minutes, or until thickened. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve over rice or noodles and sprinkle with reserved bacon. (Here it is shown served over brown rice with a side of green beans and fresh pineapple.)

Crazy Christmas Tree Hat!!!

2009-11-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

Hi all! This is my latest labor of love! So, this is for all of you who need a little help getting that holiday spirit! Look how festive my hubby looks even while doing business on his cell phone! It's comfy and cozy, and sure to bring a smile to everyone you see! I even wrote the pattern down this time, so it'll be up for sale in my etsy shop soon! Happy Holidays eveyone!!!

Dreamy Chocolate Pie!

2009-11-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

For my food assignments for Thanksgiving this year, I am making the rolls (as usual), one pan of yams, and two pies; one chocolate and one white chocolate coconut. The two pies are my kids favorites, so they're a must have on Thanksgiving!

I thought I would share with you here the recipe for the chocolate pie. I just finished it, so it's all ready to go! It's one of those make ahead recipes that tastes soooo good and is soooo easy! It's a pretty humble picture, I know, but decorating it with whipped cream and chocolate shavings shouldn't be done until it's almost serving time, or until you plate it up, in my opinion. So I guess my point is, don't let the picture fool you, it's the best chocolate pie ever! It's smooth and creamy and very rich! I do have a word of caution though. If you plan on having a pie with some tartness to it, like lemon or lime, please eat the chocolate first. The tartness of the other pie will completely ruin your palate for the smooth richness of the chocolate.......for a short time.

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse Pie

Heat until melted:
1 large milk chocolate hershey bar (or enough small ones to equal 7-8 oz)
25 large marshmallows
1/2 cup milk

Cool completely and fold in:
1/2 pint cream that has been whipped

Put in prepared crust and refrigerate until ready to serve! And yes, use a premade one from the store. You don't have to worry about the dishes after and it has it's own lid that will protect the top from any mishaps or eager fingers!

Awesome pumpkin bread!

2009-11-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

My favorite pumpkin bread recipe ever is out of a the Lion House Christmas cookbook. It stays moist and is soooo yummy! Irresistible at my house! I love it as it is. My sister has to have nuts in hers, and when I make it for my friend, she has to have chocolate chips added. Make it how you like it. If you're looking for a great pumpkin bread recipe, give this one a try!

Lion House Pumpkin Bread
1 1/3 cups oil                                                1 tsp cinnamon
5 eggs                                                          1 tsp nutmeg
16 oz pumpkin puree                                     1 tsp baking soda
2 c flour                                                        2 pkg vanilla pudding mix
2 c sugar (3 oz each)
1 tsp salt                                                       1 c chopped nuts
   or chocolate chips, opt

Mix oil, eggs and pumpkin. Beat well. Mix dry ingredients with a whisk in a separate bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until incorporated. Add pudding mixes and nuts or chocolate chips if desired. Mix thoroughly and pour in greased and floured loaf pans of desired size. The recipe is designed for 2 large loaves. I make 4 smaller ones. If making large loaves, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Reduce the cooking time for smaller loaves. I baked the smaller ones for about 30 minutes in my oven, checking for doneness with a toothpick. Cool for 5 - 10 minutes in pans, then remove the bread from the pans and allow to cool. Enjoy!!!

New scarves for the holiday gift show

2009-11-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

I've been crocheting like mad the last week or so. I'll be participating in the Logan Holiday Gift Show at the Riverwoods Conference Center in Logan on Friday and Saturday November 6th and 7th. I will have a booth with Elliettebaby who makes darling baby clothing and super cute hooded towels and bath mitts. I will be selling hats, scarves, baby sweaters, potscrubbers, and a few other miscellaneous items. My cute neighbor was able to model for me this afternoon, so I took some pictures of some of the scarves I will have available there. If you're looking for something specific, I will also be taking orders for custom items!

Spider Cupcakes

2009-10-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

We made spider cupcakes today! I think they turned out pretty well! The original plan was to use gumdrops for the spiders, but I couldn't find any of the larger gumdrops at the store, so we decided to try something new. We used homemade tootsie rolls for the whole spider. It was a great 'kid friendly' activity. I baked up a plain old cake mix from the store, used our favorite frosting recipe (cream cheese frosting, yum!), hot fudge sauce for the spider webs, and the homemade tootsie rolls to mold the spiders! I will give you the tootsie roll recipe in case any of you want to give it a try!
Tootsie Rolls
5 Tbsp butter, melted
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup Karo syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup powdered milk
3 cups powdered sugar
Mix all ingredients together and knead until everything is fully incorporated. This should keep the kiddos occupied for awhile. Then, roll into desired shapes! Enjoy!!!

Crochet Bunny Costume Pattern

2009-10-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

My 5 yr old decided he wanted to be a bunny this year. I think he's figured out that he gets lots of votes at the annual family Halloween Party on the cuteness factor and he's trying to capitalize on it! That, and he thinks that the neighbor's new bunny is pretty cool.

Anyway, I wasn't really excited to sew a big furry bunny suit. I've sewed enough furry suits to really want to come up with an alternative that would still look good and be a bit original. I came up with this version using a pair of gray sweatpants already in his wardrobe, a gray turtleneck I purchased at a local thrift shop for $3, 2 skeins of yarn, silver pipecleaners and one sheet of self-adhesive pink felt.

I wrote up the pattern as I went, hopefully it is pretty accurate. If you have any questions about it, feel free to comment. I will try to answer any questions or concerns you have!

This pattern is for a child size hat, mittens, 2 bunny ears, and one bushy tail.

Things you will need: Grey pants and long sleeved shirt to fit child, 2 skeins worsted weight yarn in a gray to match the clothing (I used 2 skeins of lion brand jiffy yarn in silver heather), silver pipecleaners (I used 14), one sheet of pink self-adhesive felt, a size j and a size p hook, and one tapestry needle.

Gauge: with J hook and 1 strand, 4dc x rows = 1 1/2 ". With P hook and two strands, 2 sc x 2 rows = 1". The gauge is not super important. You need to be in the ballpark for the hat and mittens to fit. The tail doesn't matter, and the ears are somewhat forgiving where the pipecleaners are so flexible.

Notes: within a row, if it says to repeat around, repeat the portion in between **. Also, if it says to dc around, or sc around, it means to just make one row of dc or sc.

Hat: Ch 3, sl st to 1st ch to join. Row 1: ch 3, 14 dc into foundation loop, sl st to top of ch 3 to join. Row 2: Ch 3, dc into top of ch 3, 2 dc in each dc around. Sl st to top of ch 3 to join. Row 3: Ch 3, *dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc*, repeat around then sl st to top of ch 3 to join. (35 dc + ch3) Row 4: Ch 3, dc around, sl st to top of ch3. Row 5: ch 3, *dc in next 6 dc, 2 dc in next dc* repeat around ending with dc in last dc, sl st to join. (41 dc + ch 3) Row 6 - 13: ch 3, dc around, sl st to join. fasten off and weave in ends.

Bunny Ears: take 3 silver pipe cleaners and twist together into one long straight line. Make 3 more of these. Then take two of the groups of three and twist together at one end to form the top point of the ears. Take the other ends and fold them in towards each other and twist together forming a bunny ear shape. The end shape should measure approximately 2 inches across on the bottom and be about 10 inches in height. Make one more of these so you have 2. Use two strands of yarn together for this and use a larger size p hook. Row 1: Attach yarn to bottom corner of ear (pipecleaners) and sc 4 onto the bottom edge. Row 2-3: ch 1, turn. Sc in each sc across. Row 4-5: ch 1, turn. Sc across row, increasing one sc (this means you need to make 2 sc in one of the sc on the row) Row 6-8: Repeat row 2. Row 9: Ch 1, turn. Sc across, decreasing one (this means you need to do one sc2together on this row). Row 10-13: Repeat row 2. Row 14: Repeat row 9. Row 15-17: Repeat row 2. Row 18-19: Repeat row 9. Row 20: Repeat row 2. Row 21: ch 1, turn. Sc 2 together, fasten off. (If you leave the tail of the yarn, you can crochet over it in the next step.) Edging: Using a J hook and one strand of yarn, sc around pipe cleaner and raw edge of crocheted ear.

Take the pink felt and cut out two ear shapes a bit smaller than the crocheted ears. Remove the backing from the felt and stick to the ear. To finish the hat, you will need to try it on the child who will be wearing it. Mark where the ears will go. Before sewing the ears on, bend the bottom straight edge and the sides of the ear so that it is curved in a bit around the pink felt. Curving helps them to stand striaght. Sew on the ears in the desired position. I put mine close together and actually sewed them together on the bottom center edges as I was sewing it to the hat. To give additional stability to the ears, I took 2 more pipecleaners, folded them in half and twisted them together. Place these inside the hat under the ears. Take the edges and fold them so they stick up through the hat behind the ears. Bend the pipecleaner so the portion inside the hat remains flat against the head and the edges poke straight up behind the ears. The ears should rest on the pipecleaner edges. They may still flop around a bit. If you wish them more stable, us more pipecleaners and you may stitch them in place.

Mittens: Using a J hook and 1 strand of yarn beginning at cuff edge Row 1: ch 6, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across. (5sc) Row 2-16: Ch 1, turn. sc across row in back loops only. To join edges, ch 1, turn, and sc both short edges together. Row 1 of body of mitten: Ch 1, sc around the edge of the ribbing spreading 18 sc evenly. Sl st to join. Row 2: Ch 3, dc in each sc around increasing 3 stitches. Sl st to top of ch 3 to join. Row 3-4: ch 3, dc in each dc arount. Sl st to top of ch 3 to join. Row 5: Ch 3, skip 4 dc. Sl st to 5th dc, ch 3, dc in next dc and each dc around, dc in each ch and sl st to top of ch 3 to join. (20 dc + ch3) Row 6: Ch 3, dc around, decreasing 3 stitches. Sl st to join. Row 7: Ch 3, dc in each dc around. Sl st to join. Row 8: repeat row 6. Row 9: Ch 3, dc around decreasing 5 stitches this row. Sl st to join. Row 10: Ch 3, dc2tog around ending with one dc in last stitch. Fasten off leaving enough to weave through the top of each stitch and pull tight and fasten. Weave in end. Thumb: Attach yarn to thumb opening. Ch3. Make one row of dc (8dc), sl st to beg ch. Row 2: ch 3, make a row of dc decreasing 2. Sl st to beg ch3. Fasten off, leaving end long enough to weave through tops of stitches and pull tight and fasten. Weave in end. Make 2 of these.

Tail: With 2 strands of yarn and P hook, ch 3. Sl st to first ch. *Ch 16, sl st to ch3 loop.* Repeat this until the tail is as bushy as you like or until you run out of yarn. I ran out of yarn. To finish , sew the tail to the seat of the gray pants.

Hoppy Halloween!!!

Turkey Day Hat

2009-10-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

Well, if any of you out there love family and food as I do, you must look forward to Thanksgiving Day all year long! I'm already thinking of what roll recipe I'm going to use, and what kinds of pies I get to bake! And I get to share it all with my family! What could be better?
So, here is my ode to our beloved Thanksgiving Day. Making the pattern up as I went along, it turned out a bit crazy, but also a bit fabulous at the same time!

Maybe sometime I'll write up a pattern, but for now, it stands alone, completely unique screaming, "I love turkey!"

Caramel Apple Butter

2009-10-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Through late summer and fall it seems I find myself in the kitchen canning several times a week. I have canned tomatoes and spaghetti sauce for several years, but as time goes by I seem to add more and more things to the list. It's become almost an obsession, trying to fill all of those jars, getting my storage area as full as possible. Here is a picture of a portion of what I have in our storage area. Alas, it has turned cold and all of the vegetables have frozen. Not so for apples. Those of you with apple trees are probably just getting started. I have been canning applesauce and apple butter. I've experimented with a few apple butter recipes and have found one that I love. So, I thought I would share!

Crockpot Caramel Apple Butter

14 c applesauce (use about 6 lbs apples, I cut and core mine, then cook them down in a small amount of apple or grape juice, then run them through the food mill to puree and remove the skins)
Place apples in a large crockpot. Add 4 cups sugar and mix in thoroughly. Cook on high without lid for a very long time stirring occasionally. The batch I made today was in the crockpot for about 14 hours (I made applesauce last night and just left it in over night). It doesn't need to be that long, just until it is cooked down to a butter consistency and turns a dark amber color. Unwrap and add 43 caramels to the pot. When caramels are melted and incorporated, check the temperature with a candy thermometer if you have one. It should reach about 160 degrees F. If your crock does not get hot enough, move the butter to a pot on the stove. Pour into prepared jars and process in a water bath for 15 minutes. (Please adjust these times according to your local extension offices guidelines for your altitude) If you like, you may add 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, and 1 tsp cinnamon. This recipe makes 6 pints or 12 half pints.

Spooky Sugar Cookies

2009-09-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite sugar cookie. Thick and soft is how we like them at our house, and these fit the bill. This time of year, I like to make bats and ghosts. That way, I only have to make two colors of icing; black and white. And if I don't feel like piping eyes, we just use mini chocolate chips (white and chocolate) for the eyes. To get the black frosting for the bats, you need to get the food color that comes in a gel or paste. I got it at my local craft store, but anywhere that sells cake decorating supplies should have it. When we lived in a smaller town with no such store, I just asked them at the bakery of the local grocery store if they would sell me some, and they gave it to me for free! The black has a great effect on the tongue, especially for parties!
Soft Sugar Cookies
1 cup sour cream
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
4 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and flavoring and mix well. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in another bowl. Add sour cream and flour mixture alternating until fully mixed together. Chill for one hour. Roll out ( I usually roll them to just under a 1/2 inch thickness) and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 425 for 5 - 7 minutes. Frost with desired frosting. (Our favorite is cream cheese frosting!)

Candy Corn Crochet Hat Pattern

2009-09-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

I've been so blessed by the kindness of friends and family, my heart is full. In a show of gratitude, and as a way to remember the little life that never made it (I miscarried on Wednesday), I have a quick pattern that I worked up last week. It's really simple and a bit corny, but my kids love it. It fits my 5 yr old as well as myself and my husband. If you want it smaller, just decrease the rows of each color by few rows.

Candy Corn Hat Pattern

I used Peaches n Cream cotton yarn on this hat in white, orange and yellow. Size G crochet hook (or hook needed to obtain correct gauge.) Gauge: 5 sc x 6 rows = 1 1/2 inch square

Begin with white yarn.

Row 1: Ch 2, 4 sc in 1st ch, sl st to 1st sc to join. Ch 1.

Row2: Sc in each sc around increasing 2 sc (this means you will do 2 sc in 2 of the sc of the previous round, just spread them out as you go).

Row 3 - 15: Continue pattern increasing 2 sc on each row. When finishing row 15, switch to orange yarn when pulling through the last 2 lps of the row, or you may finish out the row with white and fasten it off and weave in the ends and just start the new rows with the new color.

Row 16 - 34: With Orange yarn, repeat established pattern increasing 2 sc each row. At end of row 34, switch to yellow yarn.

Row 35 - 36: Repeat established pattern increasing 2 sc each row.

Row 37 - 46: Sc in each sc on previous rows with no more increases, keeping it even each row.

Row 47 - 48: Sc in each sc of previous row decreasing 4 stitches on each row. (I decrease by doing a sc2together 4 times, spreading it out evenly) Fasten off and weave in ends.

Buttermilk Crescent Rolls

2009-09-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Today we had roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and these yummy crescent rolls for dinner. The roast is great for Sundays because I just put it in the crockpot in the morning and it's ready for dinner, so I have time to work on the other dishes to really complete the meal. I really enjoy making bread and rolls. I'm the designated roll maker for all of the family functions. I have more than one recipe that I like, but this is one that I go to often. It doesn't take quite as long as some of my other ones and always looks and tastes great for just us, or when we are expecting company as well.

Buttermilk Crescents
2 pkgs active dry yeast                       1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup water                                     1 cup buttermilk, warmed
2 eggs                                                1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar                                      4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
1 tsp salt                                             1/4 cup butter, melted

I generally mix this up in my kitchenaid mixer. Any large mixer will work. I have done it by hand on occasion, but it's much easier with the mixer, if you have it. Add warm water and yeast to bowl. Then add buttermilk (I usually use 1 tbsp vinegar mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup, unless I have buttermilk on hand), sugar, eggs and 1/2 cup butter to bowl. Start mixer on low. Begin adding flour gradually, then add in salt and baking soda. Continue mixing and adding flour until you have a soft dough that's not too sticky. Allow to raise in a warm place until double in bulk. When you are ready to roll out the dough, divide it into 3 equal pieces and form into smooth balls. Roll each piece out with a rolling pin into a circle. Cut each circle in to 12 pie shaped wedges. Brush with butter and roll up starting with the wide end first to form crescent rolls. Brush again with butter and allow to raise until double in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 -18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with butter when you remove them from the oven. Makes 3 dozen crescent rolls.

The striped lacey black and light blue shimmery scarf

2009-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

My newest etsy listing is this scarf. I had some fun blue novelty yarn that I'd been trying to find a good use for. Finally I came up with this scarf. I adapted it from a dishcloth pattern that I had. Hope you all like it. My cute neighbor modeled it for me!

Mmmmm! Tomato Cream Soup!

2009-09-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

I usually fix a more elaborate dinner on Sundays, but some days, I just don't feel like it. Today was one of those days. So, I made homemade tomato soup! Probably my favorite soup ever!!! I have actually given out this recipe a few times, and the ones I gave it to make it frequently, so I guess it must be a good one! I thought I'd share it with the rest of you!

Tomato Cream Soup
2 quarts crushed tomatoes (8 cups)
2 tsp chicken bouillon
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bell peppers, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 - 3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 tsp dried basil
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
6 cups milk, divided
In a large saucepan, simmer tomatoes, bouillon, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Add red pepper flakes and basil to this mixture and saute briefly, then add this mixture to tomatoes. In another saucepan, melt remaining butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add to tomato mixture. Stir in the remaining milk; heat through (do not boil).

Today, I served it with chicken and cheese quesadillas. It makes a great accompaniment to the old standby grilled cheese as well!!!

My Life

2009-09-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of quick notes about me and what kind of things I plan on putting in this blog.

I am a stay at home mom of 3 (one more on the way due next spring). I love to cook, crochet, and garden. I have a few other hobbies such as reading, knitting, singing and playing the piano and sewing, but I think cooking, crocheting and gardening are the top 3. They keep me sane, really.

I figured this would be a great venue for me to share with you all what I do, and what I love. I hope you all enjoy it and find something useful, or uplifting!